With ESCBubble currently seated at Palais Nikaïa in Nice, getting ready for tomorrow’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest, we’d love to help you get in the mood by reminding you that the show is 20 years old!

In that time, we’ve seen over 300 acts aged between 8 and 15 take to the stage. Many of them have gone into other professions outside of music, such as 2009 champion Ralf Mackenbach, who’s now a nuclear physicist, the UK’s 2005 entrant Joni Fuller, who’s a vet alongside composing indie film scores, and Italy’s Marco Boni, who I’d imagine is well on his way to that dermatology degree.

However, many JESC alumni are still making hits in their grown-up years! I’ve compiled a playlist of 30 of them released since last year, all from artists who started their careers as pint-sized hopefuls hoping to make Europe proud. Here are the highlights:

Kicking things off, all the way back in 2003, Dino Jelusic, now known by his stage name Jelusick, has been all over the prog rock scene, both with his band Animal Drive and with his solo efforts, such as the 2022 album-title headbanger Healer. Staying in the world of rock, we also had a surprise comeback from Belgium’s XINK, the four-piece emo rock group who came 6^th in the first ever contest, with Misschien (Perhaps). Dino’s decessor Nika Turkovic has been releasing albums in four different languages – here I’ve gone for her moody retro ballad Tvoj mir (Your Peace), while Alina Ermina, from Romania in 2005, has ditched the folk pigtails for the piano, with Nu te mai astept (I’m not waiting for you anymore).

Spain has always been a Junior Eurovision powerhouse, finishing in the top 3 on four occasions and winning in 2004, and it shows in the output of their early alumni. While Maria Isabel has stepped away from the limelight after a few attempts at Eurovision itself, Antonio Jose has collabed with just about every Spanish Eurovision hopeful and entered the Spanish charts this year with La noche perfecta (The Perfect Night), while Dani Fernandez’s 2022 album, Entre las dudas y el azar, stormed into the millions on Spotify with its mix of 80s beats and Spanish pop. Here we’ve added Dile a los demas (Tell the others) for your pleasure.

Possibly the most famous JESC alumnus of all time is Sweden’s Molly Sanden, owing to her participation in Will Ferrell’s Eurovision film The Story of Fire Saga and subsequent Oscar nomination for Husavik (My Home Town). Psykos (Psychosis) recently made it into the Swedish Top 30. 2007 was a stand-out year, as it gave us two Eurovision alumni, both of whom have released music recently: OG3NE of the Netherlands, with Koning Liefde (Love is King), and Nevena Bozovic of Serbia, with Ogledalo (Mirror).

Among many acts who competed at Junior Eurovision before a successful run on The Voice, Bobi Andanov, from Australia but representing North Macedonia in 2008, is making some Bad Decisions, in a clear reminder that all kids grow up and start swearing. Having said that, some, like Belgium’s Laura Omloop, who could be seen yodelling in Kyiv in 2009, remain innocent, and sing tracks like Wat je zei (What You Said), while 2010 winner Vladimir Arzumanyan never shook his family troubles and lets us know about it in the heavy bass banger Antsyalum (In the past).

She’ll be better way, she’ll be better day soon, but for now, Iru from Georgia, who teamed up with Candy to win with Candy Music in 2011, has an Idea. But why?, Gaia Cauchi, winner from 2013, asks, as she enters an era of colourful concept albums, while runner-up Sofia Tarasova asks “Why Me?” (Pochemu ya). She’s joined for this emotional ballad by her former manager and mentor Konstantin Meladze.

We also have two moody additions from Sophia Patsalides (Cyprus 2014), with Mess We Made, and Alexa Curtis (Australia 2016), with Cry. Check out the music video of the latter to see Alexa taking out her anger on a teddy bear in a metaphor that needs no introduction. The winner from 2016, Mariam Mamadashvili, has been halfway between Europe and the US for several years, recently releasing the English-language This Is Our Day. More bears in the music video for this one, albeit a slightly strange human one playing the piano.

2018 has brought us many spectacular alumni: Efi Gjika from Albania has been a social media star ever since her participation, and her latest effort, Boyz Talk, brings to mind Blanka in a teen drama. Kazakhstan’s Daneliya Tuleyshova has had a complete change of style since JESC, dropping her last name and releasing the breakup anthem Tied. Meanwhile, and accompanied by a wonderful performance on TVP’s Badzmy Razem in which you hold your breath she doesn’t trip over her dress, winner Roxie has stormed into the Top 10 in her home country with Miasto (City).

France’s Carla has rarely been off the JESC airwaves with Bim Bam Toi, and her new song, J’en veux pas (I Don’t Want It) deals with similar themes of loving and listening to your needs. Despite going out of MESC 2024, Eliana Gomez Blanco continues to build her back catalogue, with her recent Maltese-language hit Kannizzata (Lattice), while the winner in her year, Viki Gabor, is now a household name in Poland alongside Roxie. Her most recent track, Stop Playing Games, is already a Top 20 hit. 2019 also saw the much-anticipated return of Spain, and with it, the creation of more timeless stars. Melani’s distinctive pop-opera style is once again on show in Be Free.

2020 was a difficult year for JESC, with acts having to perform at purpose-built studios in their own country due to Covid lockdowns. Unity, the Dutch girl band who sang about their experience separated from their friends, are now flying high on a Caribbean Island for Denk je dan aan mij (Then You Think Of Me), while winner Valentina is ready to take on the Alps for En vrai (In Truth).

2021, our last venture out to France, brought us two bona fide pop divas: Malena, whose recent Flashing Lights, also co-written by tokionline, who wrote her JESC winning song Qami Qami, picks up where that song left off, with more bass and even more attitude. Meanwhile, in a brilliant case of JESC-ESC collaboration, The Voice Kids champion Sara James teamed up with Czechia’s finest Afrobeats export Ben Cristovao (aka Benny Cristo) for the Trap number Brighter Days.

And last, but by no means least, and while I’ve been wary of adding covers to this list, I couldn’t not mention Carlos Higes’ recent cover of Enrique Iglesias’ No me digas que no (Don’t Tell Me No). To already have a nationwide tour under your belt at 11 years of age is an impressive feat, and he’s appeared on RTVE more often this year than artists five times his age.

We hope that some of these hits find their way onto your playlists! Are you excited for JESC 2023? Remember to follow ESCBubble on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube for more exclusive Eurovision content!